Uzuri | an interview

Seeking to move mountains. By faith. In love. With passion. But on our own terms. We remind each other of this truth when the climb is steep + rewards few. - Uzuri

The exquisite Uzuri brand has captured my attention for quite some time now and when I found out they were releasing their thoughtfully crafted Summer 2017 collection I thought it was time to approach the ladies for a little interview to learn more about their brand and products. Uzuri is a brand that truly resonates with me personally and the touching story behind the business draws me in even further.

Share with us the names and brief introduction of the hearts and hands behind Uzuri.

We are two very diverse individuals. My name is Magdel. I am a chartered accountant, a wife + sister. I grew up on a farm + therefore my heart will always belong to vast open spaces filled with silence + solitude. I love running, beautiful words, rain and coffee. I cannot live without my husband + my siblings.

My partner, (who prefers to say anonymous), is a creative tour de force. She has a degree in marketing + finished top of her class at Elizabeth Galloway Fashion Design School. She is an eternal optimist, she brings lightness + joy where ever she treads + she inhales tea. The ocean is one of her favourite things in the world, second only to her husband + family.

There’s always a story about how a creative brand came to life. Would you share yours with us?

Ours is a brand based on a friendship that was founded on the innocence + naivety of high school kids. The dream to build a brand that aspires to create beautiful things whilst uplifting, empowering, contributing, was conceived amidst hockey practices + late nights working on the school newspaper.

Fast forward 12 years: on our thirtieth birthdays (which is two days apart) – we had both successfully forged career paths in our respective fields (finance + fashion design), yet the dream had stayed the course. We decided that life is to be lived. We took a leap of faith with no experience in the shoe industry but a lot of faith in our vision.

Do you have a single quote or ethos that you follow for Uzuri?

Seeking to move mountains. By faith. In love. With passion. But on our own terms. We remind each other of this truth when the climb is steep + rewards few.

There are however two non-negotiable rules that has defined Uzuri:

Uzuri is never to interfere with our friendship or our marriages. We value these relationships above anything else + there has been numerous occasions where Uzuri has had to take a back seat. This approach has without a doubt kerbed our growth, but it is the principles by which we choose to govern this dream.

I have been bursting to see your latest collection. What would you like people to know about the new products?

Intertwined in each new collection is our most intimate selves: the disappointment + frustration of trialling and refining samples, the joy of creating beautiful pieces, the camaraderie forged between ourselves, our craftsmen, and fellow collaborating artisans. We evolve + learn with every season’s offering. We have poured our hearts into summer 2017 – but that is true of every single collection. We do not believe in half measures: with passion we will continue to pursue this dream from one season to the next.

If you would like to purchase any of these immensely beautiful products you can visit their online store here or visit either Convoy on Bree or Purr at the Lifestyle Centre on Kloof.